This is a draft in User space, not yet ready to go to Citizendium's main space, and not meant to be cited. The {{subpages}} template is designed to be used within article clusters and their related pages.It will not function on User pages.Menad Benchellali is a suspected terrorist arrested in France on January 6 2004.[1]
Benchellali is alleged to have been an al Qaedachemical weapons specialist.

According to the Washington Post, Benchellali was known as "the chemist.[2] French investigators assert that, when Benchellali returned to France, from Afghanistan, he built a home lab in his bedroom, where he manufactured ricin.

Benchellali is reported to have sent his younger brother Mourad Benchellali and a friend, Nizar Sassi, to Afghanistan.[3]
Mourad and Sassis were captured and detained in Guantanamo.

Benchellali, was convicted, along with 24 others, on June 14 2006 for their roles in planning a terrorist attack that was to have taken place in France to support Chechen independence..[4]
Benchellali was described as the group's leader, and received a 10 year sentence. Benchellali's father, Chellali Benchellali,
Hafez Benchellali, a younger brother, and Hafsa Benchellali, his mother, were also convicted for their roles.

Mourad Benchellali published a book about his experiences, and on June 14 2006 the New York Times published an op-ed by Mourad, in which he blamed Menad for tricking him into attending a military training camp on what he thought would be a kind of vacation.[5] Mourad said he was looking forward to his day in court, for attending that training camp, after spending years in detention, without charge, in Guantanamo.